At times, I feel like a red bird in a snowstorm.
I am this bird, a beauty designed uniquely by God with a plan and a purpose but desperately seeking shelter from the harsh conditions. A creature searching for any sign of food and aching for spring, the time of renewal and abundant sustenance, yet only feeling cold and the darkness of the storm.
The winter has been long and hard, swirling and cold, the winds kicking up fear that it won’t ever end.
But there is hope.
It finds me in a simple scripture. A love song to the red bird in the snowstorm.
Psalm 28:7 The Voice
The Eternal is the source of my strength and the shield that guards me.
When I learn to rest and truly trust Him,
He sends His help. This is why my heart is singing!
I open my mouth to praise Him, and thankfulness rises as song.
And so, my heart is singing as my thankfulness rises in song. Today will be different.
Today I’m choosing to trust.
Oh, I’m sure I’ll continue to try at times to control my life, thinking through every possibility as if I can create a certain outcome by having the ‘right’ answers. But today I’m making the choice to sit in the arms of Abba, my spiritual daddy. To embrace the truth that his plans for me are good, that he has prepared the path ahead of me, and that he will be with me every step of the way. {Jer 7:23, Romans 8:28}
Today I’m leaving doubt behind.
Oh, I’m sure it’ll follow me, trailing behind like a sad puppy dog wanting to be petted and welcomed into my warm home. But today I’m making the choice to close the door and sit at the banquet table inside with the Father. To embrace the truth that his provision for my life is not just sufficient but abundant. {John 10:10}
So my heart is singing. He has sent his help!
Dear friend, today I am praying that you also would embrace The Eternal as the source of strength and the shield of protection in your life. I pray that you will learn to rest and truly trust Him and know that He has sent help in the form of his Spirit living inside of us. And sing. I pray that your thankfulness will rise in song as your heart is set free.
May you be blessed by His invitation to Come. He is all we need. {Music from Bethel Music The Loft Sessions}
Sharing with Faith-Filled Friday, Essential Fridays, Recommendation Saturday, Still Saturday, Spiritual Sundays, The Sunday Community, The Weekend Brew, Scripture & a Snapshot, Beauty Observed, Sacred Speco and Sunday Stillness. This post contains affiliate links {full disclosure}.
Dear LeeAnn
This is just so wonderful that even though in this world that is lost in chaos and darkness, we will all have our fair share of suffering, we know that we are pilgrims, already safely hidden in Jesus and also in God, our Pappa! We also know that because we are adopted into His family, He will discipline us as well, because He is our loving Father.
Blessings XX
Mia
Reading this is so refreshing and restoring. I am one who always wants the answers, and am learning (finally! Why’s it taking so long!) that sometimes I need just to leave the unanswered questions with God, and rest in His Presence, His “arms,” as you are saying. (In fact, I just wrote about it in my post linked at Sunday Stillness, where we landed next to each other!) I really like the picture you give of doubt “trailing behind like a sad puppy dog wanting to be petted and welcomed.” That’s just how it is; that’s the constant temptation. All very well put.
Prayers for you in this winter of uncertainty. I definitely “get it.”
Lovely post, LeeAnn!! I’m right there with you and want to choose to trust everyday. Thanks for the encouragement to do so, friend.
Beautiful post. I loved how you put doubt…”trailing behind like a sad puppy dog wanting to be petted & welcomed.” May we not fall for it today!
beautiful post. thank you for this very encouraging and inspiring post. Much needed for me.
Happy Sunday!!
Thank you LeeAnn….you have a way with words that is just…heavenly. That you share with us is such a blessing. I pray that blessings come back to you multiplied!!
This is simply lovely. I love that scripture and really felt blessed by your post today. Thanks for linking up with Recommendation Saturday. Welcome to the family! <3 Heart Hugs, Shelly
This is so beautiful! I got your ever-so-kind comment/email at my blog, and I so appreciated you linking up with Sacro Speco last week! (I responded to your comment on my blog, but never can tell if you can read that or not–I can be technically challenged! 🙂 I would love to connect with you via email! I’m so bummed we didn’t connect at the Barn Event, but how wonderful was it to be there? (I actually live in Texas, but was visiting a sweet blogger friend in NC that weekend, so I could attend the event.) Thank you for reminding me to trust and leave doubt behind – I struggle with that.
LeeAnn,
Your words always minister to me. My “unword” this year was unafraid.
Thank you for linking up last week at Beauty Observed. I really appreciate it and am always so glad to see you there <3
And I forgot to say, I have the song you listed in this post practically memorized because I listen to it so much. It has definitely been my anthem for 2014!
A great point that you talked about is choosing to trust in God. I recall many times though difficult, I had to trust in God, because I had to remember not to concentrate on what it looks like.
Thank you for directing me to this post, LeeAnn. I was particulary moved by your prayer at the end because it really was needed. I’ve had an emotional week but His presence is so felt.
Blessings to you.
And the song is still on repeat…